


Going to California Part 2

by holograma308



Category: That '70s Show
Genre: Alternate Universe - Road Trip, California, F/M, San Diego
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:15:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25560430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/holograma308/pseuds/holograma308
Summary: What if the whole gang went on a road trip to California after graduation, finding themselves along the way? Set at the very beginning of season 6. JH centric but not exclusive. Alternating between their perspectives as usual.
Relationships: Eric Forman/Donna Pinciotti, Jackie Burkhart/Steven Hyde
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	1. Under the Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So I started this unsure if Jackie and Hyde should be together since they get back together around this time. I don't want to stray too far from what we saw in the show and just have them together from the beginning, but also I don't want to just write reconciliation scenes like my other stories since I've seen a lot less stories where they're actually together for most of the story. So I decided to solve that all in this one chapter, especially since Hyde no longer seemed to take responsibility for his actions at the beginning of season 6 and I've tried to change that. I did like Kelso helping them out, so you'll see I didn't do away with that part. They'll have a different dynamic from the next one on, I promise!

Day 1  
Hyde  
9 AM: Point Place, Wisconsin  
Out of nowhere, Forman rushes down into the basement like it isn’t early. I’m still barely awake, and not especially excited to see him at this hour.  
“Man, what am I gonna do?”  
“What’s it now?” I ask, giving him a passive aggressive yawn.  
“I’m not going to Madison anymore!”  
“Huh?” Did I hear him right? All he's been talking about for months is getting out of here with Donna.  
“My dad’s coming home from the hospital in twelve days, and he can’t drive or do anything! I was still gonna go, but then my mom got that sad look on her face and I just felt so guilty…I need to stay and help out...”  
Damn. Poor Forman. “You’re a good man, Forman”, I say, nodding. “Must be why we’re nothing alike”.  
He nods. “Too good. But I just feel like my life is over! At the ripe old age of eighteen!”  
Suddenly I’m hit with an idea. “No, man, your life is over in twelve days. See, you’re forgetting about those twelve days. We’re going to California”.  
He stares at me, wideyed. ‘But…..but….we can’t possibly afford place tickets!”  
I shrug. “So we’ll drive”.  
Before we can protest more, Jackie bursts in. I feel my stomach turn. God, why can’t I get her off my mind? I shouldn’t have cheated on her. But why does she have to be so exasperating, acting like Kelso’s still an option and all? Does she even want to get back with me, despite the fact I feel like she’s trying to seduce me half the time I see her?  
“Hey, Jackie, your Easy Bake oven head any closer to making that incredibly hard decision?”  
“Steven, I told you, I’m almost at my most delicious shade of cocoa brown and that’s when you’ll know. Trust me, you don’t want me to rush!”  
I groan. “Well, it might speed things along cause we’re all driving to California for twelve days. Starting today”.  
She squeals. “Perfect! Rachel from the cheer team has a beach house we can stay at!" Then, another second later, "Ew, as long as I don’t have to take the night driving shift”. Great, she’s both thrilled about this and she has connections for us to make this trip cheaper, just like I thought.  
“Oh, you’re taking the night shift” I reassure, patting her on the arm, although we both know she isn’t if it’s up to me.  
Forman watches us, confused. “How are you guys just so...ready for this? Well, I think I’m finally starting to understand how you two worked out, even for a little while”.  
“Poor people and I don’t work out, Eric” Jackie claims, glaring at me, but I fight back a smile. Jackie puts down poor people when she’s trying to hide something.  
“Let me go pack!”  
“Alright, but hurry up, cause we’re leaving in an hour” I instruct her. She runs out the door happily, and I have to force myself not to watch her leave. God, she's never gonna make up her mind, why can't I just forget her?  
Forman turns back to me. “Hyde, I fully support a burn on Jackie, but Donna’s never gonna say yes to this”.  
I sigh. “No, man, we’re really going. Of course Donna’ll want to be there for the last few days before her boyfriend turns into a complete drag. Just tell her she can see Midge, alright?”  
He stares at me, like the immense favor I’m doing him is finally setting in. “Alright, I’ll go tell her” he says, eagerly running off.  
Great. Now the only challenge (I plan on driving down to Jackie’s and blasting Zeppelin outside her window until she hurries up her packing because that girl could take hours) is making sure Kelso and Fez are awake. Probably recruit the two of them to help me steal some food from the hotel kitchen for the trip. Which can easily be accomplished. 

11 AM: Point Place, Wisconsin  
We all pile into the Vista Cruiser, She’s Not There by Santana playing from the radio as we head toward Iowa. Forman, Donna and me sit in the front, Jackie, Fez and Kelso in the back. I think you can guess who chose the seating arrangements, but it’s not gonna last, thanks to the meticulous driving duty chart Donna made. Unfortunately, my shift is the last before we plan on calling it a night, the infamous 11-2. Guess I jinxed it when I told Jackie she’d have to do it. Should’ve made the damn list myself.  
Jackie taps me on the shoulder, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Steven”.  
“What?”  
“Will you put my jacket in the front? I just feel so...constricted”  
“Alright” I tell her, but when I turn around again she’s in a tiny strapless top that doesn’t even reach her belly button, smirking at me.  
“What, you don’t care about the view out the window?” she asks as I can’t help but eye her up and down. I force myself to look away, shooting her a dirty look. Who does she think she is? It shouldn’t be legal for a girl to act like they don’t want you but then try to make you go hard a second later. God. I need to stop giving her the time of day. Who cares about the look Fez is also giving her.  
“Are we almost there?” he asks from the back.  
“No, man, this is a huge country. I think it takes like, a whole hour to drive across!” Kelso replies.  
“God, I’m sick of sitting next to you two idiots!” Jackie shouts.  
This is gonna be a long drive.

1 PM: West Bend, Wisconsin  
“Aii, I need to use the bathroom” Fez moans as we cruise by field after field. “Fez, you should’ve told us before! Can you wait until we go through Cedar Rapids?” Donna asks from behind the wheel.  
“Ohhh...I don’t know…”  
“Just pee in a bottle, man” I tell him. He reluctantly picks up an old Coke can from the floor.  
“Don’t get that can anywhere near me!” Jackie says from in front of me, shrinking into herself.  
I snicker at her. “Better sit tight or the little particles are gonna absorb into your pretty little skin”.  
She turns around, horrified. “Steven, that’s not funny!” I roll my eyes, laughing and only then remembering I need to stop speaking to her. "I'm waiting..." Fez says. We groan and start singing.

5 PM: Iowa City, Iowa  
“Okay, now I need to go to the bathroom too, and I can’t exactly go in a bottle so we might as well stop and switch drivers. I think it’s Kelso’s turn” Donna declares, pulling off the highway. Thank god. Freedom. And as far as the eye can see, more of this damn Iowan suburbia and fresh air. It’s almost too much for someone as paranoid as me. Am I having flashbacks? Wow, I need to get inside.  
I’m eyeing the food line, thinking about getting a burger when I heard a familiar “Steven!”  
“What?” I snap, a bit annoyed she’s interrupting my ten seconds of alone time.  
“I just want you to know that I’ve made my decision. I chose you”. Well, about time, but I'm not just gonna let her have me now after all this. WIth that, she wraps her arms around me, pulling me into a kiss. She’s still wearing that damn shirt (if you can even call it that) and before I can stop myself I kiss her back, relishing her taste. Honestly works out even better. I’ll take the hot kiss, then teach her a lesson that I’m not just gonna wait around all summer for her. You know, have my cake and eat it too. I swipe around in her mouth, stealing her minty gum for extra measure.  
“Wow” she says, giggling appreciatively.  
“Yeah, I’m a good kisser”.  
“Mhmm”.  
“Here’s your gum back".  
She looks up at me frantically, going in for another kiss despite our very public location, but I stop her before she can meet my lips.  
“Jackie, I’m not Fez. You really think I’m just gonna wait around all summer for you?”. I ignore her hurt expression and get into the food line, but not before I realize Kelso has come out of the bathroom and watched the whole thing. Great.

6 PM: Iowa City, Iowa  
“Hey, before we leave can we all toast Hyde? He’s given me twelve more days of his youth, and without the orphan boy this trip would never be possible” Forman declares. He, Donna, Fez and Kelso raise their water cups from around the rest-stop table. I raise a finger.  
“Aw, Forman, wouldn’t have done it if I’d known it’d bring on this display of sentimentality” I reply, clapping him on the back to half offset my words.  
“To Hyde” everyone but Jackie says. I give her a look. Man, could she put a damper on the start of the trip any more?  
“Oh for God’s sake, to HYDE”. She wasn’t letting this go. 

1 AM: Ogallala, Nebraska  
The highway is eerily quiet to every side of me, and I feel like I’m driving through nothingness with only the full moon for company. Everyone is asleep, their breaths blending together rhythmically, and I’m left alone with my own thoughts. Normally, I wouldn’t mind, even without a joint, but stuff’s a little different when you’re in the proximity of your sleeping ex who can’t make up her mind if she wants you or not. There’s gonna be so many hot California chicks in my near future, but my stupid mind just won’t let me stop thinking about her. Am I being an asshole? I mean, I did cheat on her, so I can understand why she broke up with me. But I owned up to it! Even forced myself to go against every inch of my being and admit I loved her! Of course I only cheated since I thought she was cheating with Kelso, and she wasn’t so I felt like shit. But then she actually seemed to consider getting back with him over me? I mean, how messed up was that? A year with me and she was still ready to go back to that brainless loser who treated her like shit?  
“Hyde”. It’s Kelso, from right behind me.  
The sudden sound jerks me out of my thoughts, almost causing me to swerve.  
“Jesus, I thought you were asleep! What?”  
“You’ve gotta get back with Jackie, man!”  
He’s nuts. I take a gamble on the fact no one’s gonna appear on the road around me for the next few seconds to turn around and give him a glare.  
“Kelso, you’re gonna wake her up!” I shout-whisper. The reality hits in. “YOU’re telling me to get back with Jackie?”  
“I’ve changed, Hyde. I release her to you. She wants to be with you and you’re obviously not over her either, so come to your senses and get some!”  
“I’m not just gonna sit around at her disposal”  
“Well, you know what, Hyde, why don’t you not be a jerk for once? YOU cheated on her. Even I know how mad chicks get when you cheat on them and I’m the king! You need to learn that if one of them’s willing to take you back, you drop everything and do it!”  
I groan. Am I trapped in dreamland? Kelso actually has a point. As much as I don’t want to admit it, of course she couldn’t just take me back right away. I’m an idiot for not thinking this through. She had to take the time to forgive me. “Kelso, shut up and count yourself lucky you’re not driving”. Well, I guess I really am a jerk.

2 AM: Sterling, Colorado  
Before we finally stop for the night, I take a deep breath. The car shudders to a stop, the outlines of trees everywhere around us. I quickly adjust the seat forward until I can barely fit for the morning shift driver tomorrow, a certain 95 pound brunette. “Alright, we’re here”.  
“Ah, yes yes yesss” Fez mumbles dreamily from next to me. Ew. “Fez, man. Wake up”. Fez and Kelso groan and roll over in their respective areas of the car, but Forman and Donna roll reluctantly out. Donna begins unrolling his double sleeping bag for the two of them, gesturing for Forman to help, but he just watches her, bleary eyed and mumbling something about not feeling good. I chuckle for a second until I remember what I have to do.  
And there she is, getting out of the backseat of the car, gazing at the stars.  
“Jackie”.  
“What?” she asks. From behind, Kelso winks at me and then immediately falls over with a light snore.  
“Can we talk for a minute?”  
“I don’t know, didn’t seem like you wanted to talk earlier” she replies. I begrudgingly give her my hand, closing the door behind her. “Fine”.  
“Privately” I add, nodding at Forman and Donna, who fortunately are too busy making out in the sleeping bag by now to notice.  
We walk away a few steps, behind some trees. “Look, I'm sorry for earlier. I was an idiot for not taking you back”.  
She nods. “Yeah”.  
“Just-give me another chance. I just didn’t want to admit I wronged you. But what I did was un-freakin-believable, okay? And I see now why you couldn’t just take me back right away”  
Her face changes, and she watches me with big eyes under the stars. “Oh, Steven. I knew you’d understand”. My face twists into a stupid smile.  
“So are we cool?” I ask her.  
“Yeah, because you love-” Well, even if I said it once I wasn’t just gonna say it to say it. I put a finger to her lips, shushing her and pulling her up into a kiss.  
The last kiss was hot, but this one is something else, awakening nerve endings I forgot existed, nerve endings only Jackie annoyingly knows the key to. We smile into the kiss, and I pick her up, wrapping her legs around the tree for leverage. I can think of nothing else, and it takes far too long for us to realize we have a long drive ahead of us tomorrow. Also, it’s 2 AM and we’re making out at the edge of the woods like a weird tree orgy.  
“C’mon, I’ll go get my sleeping bag for us” I tell her, carrying her in my arms the whole way to the car as she giggles softly, too caught up with my chick to care if any of our friends happen to be awake.  
Well, this is a first, I guess I owe one to Kelso. Before, I saw this as Forman’s trip, the rest of us along for the ride. But suddenly, it feels like this could be my trip now, and that’s without all the chicks on the beach. I never would have known, but Jackie and I spent an eternity apart and we have all the catching up in the world to do.


	2. Jackpot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to update! I was originally going to make this chapter even longer.

Day 2

Jackie

6 AM: Sterling, Colorado

“Jackie and Hyde!!! It’s Jackie and Hyde!! Oh man, I am so turned on!”  
“C’mon Fez, who cares if the most unnatural couple is back together, we gotta go”  
“Hey, I could spray them with my squirt gun!”  
“Kelso, no, Hyde’s gonna take your eye out!”  
“Man, we need to go...”  
Ew. Who are all these gravelly voices disrupting my beauty sleep?

Instead of waking up to the beautiful sound of ABBA on my cot in Donna’s bedroom with Chamomile the camel next to me, I wake up at an ungodly early hour in the middle of nowhere in Steven’s sleeping bag. His arm is around me, and all our friends above us, yelling their ugly heads off at us. Am I dreaming? I don’t know if this would be a good or bad one.  
Wait. We went on this spontaneous road trip to California as a pity party for Eric but it’s actually gonna be fun since we’re going to the beach. Steven and I got back together. Steven and I got back together…

“Leave us alone, man!” Steven grumbles, pulling me tighter. I grin and snuggle into him. Thank god he came to his senses last night. I knew he’d understand why I couldn’t choose him right away.  
“Aw, look at the hot lovebirds” Fez teases.  
“Guys! Come on, we’re never gonna make it by evening if you two don’t get up like...right this instant!” Eric pleads.  
“Eric, why do you care?” I ask.  
“Why are you two back together?” he counters.  
“Oh, it’s us after all. We were bound to get back together soon or later” I reply, shrugging. Michael looks surprisingly-is that-happy? Maybe we’re talking about the wrong Michael Kelso, but I think he really is over me. Or as over me as he’ll ever get, cause let’s face it, no sane nineteen year old guy in the greater Oshkosh area is able to resist admiring me from a distance.  
“Get up, guys” Donna says.  
“No!” I grumble, hiding my vision in Steven’s beautifully dirty Led Zeppelin shirt.  
“Come on guys, help me drag them” Donna says. I feel my feet starting to be moved across the ground, but before I can protest Steven and I are sprayed all over with water. Michael giggles devilishly over us. What an idiot!  
“MICHAEL! Watch it!” I scream, glaring at him. Steven finally gets out of the sleeping bag, chasing him until we hear the usual,  
“Ow! My eye!”. Serves him right.  
I groan, attempting to brush my lucious brown locks back as I sit up. I’m going to have to pee in the bushes and do my makeup blind. Nature should be for prisoners only. Eric laughs at my expression, and I shoot him a nasty look.  
“That worked out perfectly,” Donna laughs, and she and Eric smile at each other. I huff and walk off, grabbing my nice clothes that’ll probably get ruined. 

10 AM: Grand Junction, Colorado  
“Well, I guess it’s your turn to drive, Fez. Anyone want any snacks?” I ask, pulling into Grand Junction Service Station.  
“Geez, Jackie, I’m surprised you didn’t you know, act like yourself and complain about having to drive??” Eric says.  
“What? I like driving, Eric” I tell him. He snickers, and I fight back a bit of hurt. It’s not like I have the Lincoln anymore. Driving reminds me of the family I used to have, when I had a huge house and a big family and money. Steven smiles from next to me, and I smile back gratefully. I’m so lucky to have someone that understands.

3 PM: Panguitch, Utah  
“Ahh. I know I’m glowing and all, but how is that even humanly possible after sitting in your boyfriend’s dirty car for so many hours?” I ask Donna, admiring myself in the rest stop's bathroom mirror.  
Between looking at beauty magazines with Fez, playing punch buggy with Michael and Donna, and sleeping on Steven’s shoulder when I got tired (and Steven in general), this trip has not been as bad as I’d thought. And this is supposed to be the boring part. I just hope the rest of it lives up, especially where Steven is concerned.  
“I don’t know, Jackie. You’re just...radiant” she mutters nonchalantly from next to me.  
“I know!” I reply, ignoring the sarcasm.  
“So you must be happy to be back with Hyde” she says. “Hopefully I won’t have to listen to as many Captain and Tennille records now that you have a good influence back in your life”.  
“Aw, maybe I’ll make you a deal twice a week” I tell her. “Anyway, the sarcasm’s not a good thing coming from your man-like voice, Donna” I add, shuddering.  
“Sorry. I’m just...kind of stressed. I feel like this is it, you know? College isn’t gonna be the same without Eric”. She looks at the ground glumly, despite the huge mirror in front of us, like she doesn’t want to face it.  
“No, it’s perfect!” I reply. “You’ll go to college, find a much cuter guy that can actually change a tire, and settle down and have beautiful babies!” Wait, that probably wasn’t sensitive to just ignore her feminist crap, dumb as it is, at a time like this. “And...become a beautiful globe-trotting journalist” I add, patting her on the arm.  
“Thanks, Jackie” she replies. “Whatever you think, I’d actually like to stay with the love of my life, you know, but I appreciate the journalist part”.  
“Of course. But you know I don’t agree with it, Donna” I reply, but I pull her into a hug. I’m lucky to have a feminist goon like Donna for a best friend. 

5 PM: Las Vegas, Nevada  
“Jackie! Jackie Jackie Jackie wake up!” It’s Steven, shaking me awake and gently pulling me off his shoulder. I groan, but grin when I register my normally unimpressed boyfriend is excited about something.  
“What is it, Steven?” I mumble.  
“We’re in VEGAS! Forman, we have to stop!”. I smile at him. I love when he gets excited. It’s so cute. Who would have ever thought Steven Hyde could be cute.  
Eric groans. “We’ve never gonna make it by the evening”.  
“Come on, Forman, are you nuts? You’re only in Vegas once. We gotta go”.  
He sighs. “Thirty minutes”. Eric’s been weirdly obsessed with getting there tonight. He must be freaking out about having to take care of Mr. Forman when we get back.  
“Aw, Steven, it’s your dream come true” I say, giving him a quick kiss. And as we approach the skyline, it feels like my dreams will come true too, like anything could happen here. Luck is usually my thing, and as I see skyscrapers of every shape, lit up in all shades of neon despite the daylight, I have a good feeling about this place.  
But it all comes crashing down when we park outside Marina Hotel and Casino.  
“Wait. I’m seventeen” I declare glumly, suddenly realizing I can’t do anything here. I knew I’d have to pay the price of all my friends being a year older than me someday.  
Steven’s face falls, and he stares at the sidewalk glumly. “Right”. But soon he perks up, spotting a red exit sign in the back corner. “Oh even better, we can do this illegally. Come with me. We’ll meet you guys inside”.  
He takes my hand, smiling, and I’m filled with nervous anticipation as I follow him, giggling. I missed feeling this way.  
“Here. Give me your hair pin” he says.  
Under the exit sign, I press my bobby pin into his palm discreetly. “We make a good team”. We share a quick peck fueled by the feeling of wrongdoing.  
“Damn it, doesn’t work” He groans.  
“Here, try this one”. I remove another one from my hair, putting the other one back as best I can.  
“Got it!” he says triumphantly, and go inside, making our way into a long hallway fueled by loud music playing at the end.  
“Must be down there” I say. “Wait, let me just put my hair up to look older”.  
He snickers, but when I expertly twist my hair into a glamorous updo that makes me look more twenty-seven than seventeen, he practically gasps.  
“Wow. You look...aw screw it. Beautiful”.  
Oh my god, this is so romantic. Steven hates direct compliments, especially giving them, so you know he really means them when they come out. I smile at him lovingly. “Oh, Steven, Vegas really is making you happy” I observe, jumping into his arms.  
“Well, it is the city of luck”. He picks me up, running toward the casino with me in his arms.  
Unfortunately, our luck runs out pretty quickly.  
“And where do you think you kids are going?” a tall man carrying a silver platter asks, swerving to avoid us.  
I immediately force a giggle. “Oh, darling, I just can’t wait until tomorrow! Take me to the honeymoon suite!”. Ha. Now he’ll have to call me his wife. Win-win.  
He quickly picks up on what I’m doing, losing his lazy eighteen-year-old stoner posture with only the faintest hint of reluctance. “Can you be quiet? My fiance is very tired” he barks, and even with my eyes half shut I can see him staring down the guy. Quickly, we dart around the corner.  
“That was amazing” I breathe, still in awe at his intimidating-people skills.  
“Jackie, don’t you make me use the F word in or around the United States again” he says, jokingly glaring at me. “But yeah, we kicked ass”.  
In or around the United States? Wow, he didn’t even fully dismiss the idea of him being my fiance...I smile knowingly at him, deciding not to ruin his fun for once and point that out, but I think my expression says enough. When someone’s the happiest you’ve ever seen them, we all have to make some sacrifices, no matter how pretty we are.  
We peek around the corner. “All clear” he says, leading me in.  
Inside the casino, the next thirty minutes truly feel like no time at all. Michael is terrible at every game, but he doesn’t seem to mind at all. Eric seems to have cheered up, and is off in the corner playing some kind of poker with some guys that look almost as geeky as him. Fez thinks the games are rigged against foreigners, but Steven shows him what to do and he quickly gets good at blackjack, beating me and Donna. This annoys me, but not for long since Steven ends up helping me out and I finally manage to beat them. And Steven himself. He’s a beast in the casino, winning everything from the arcade games to keno (some weird game with numbers I never would have thought he’d be interested in). Even all the money he’s making pales in comparison to him: the swift way he rolls the dice, his sexy poker face.  
“Steven, you won everything. That was so foxy” I say as we leave, holding his hand. Sure enough, it’s been far more than thirty minutes, but even Eric has decided a few hours in Vegas is worth a lifetime. He smiles at me, going in for a kiss. In the distance, I notice Michael watching us. And for the weirdest reason, he seems to be smiling. 

12 AM: San Diego, California  
“Watch it...watch it…” I direct as Fez pulls into the driveway of Rachel’s beach house. The house stares back at us, all ocean blue and boxy with cute while paneling. Waves crash in the background, illuminated by the stars in the night sky. It’s perfect.  
“And...we’re here!”  
We make our way out of the car, Fez getting a bit cranky when we don’t get right out of the car since we didn’t have to drive and rushing in the house ahead of everyone in defiance. I find myself at the back, stopping to breathe in the romanticism of the ocean air as everyone else makes their way up to the house.  
Or so I thought. “Jackie”. It’s Michael, walking up behind me.  
“Yeah?” I ask.  
“I just wanna say, it was hard for me to see at first because I’m so much more man-pretty than him, but I think you and Hyde are really gonna last”.  
I look up at him, shocked. He was my first love, he really was, and yet in some ways this is the nicest thing he’s ever said to me.  
“Oh, Michael, you’re gonna find a lot of beach girls to make love with” I tell him, giving him a real smile.  
“Oh, man, I will! Damn, I gotta get inside or else Fez is gonna get top bunk!” With that, he rushes toward the house. Is it just me or is even Michael growing up?   
Just one more second, I tell myself, staring in awe at the waves. We’re really here. I’ve traveled before-Daddy got us first class tickets to Europe once-but it dawns on me I’ve never been to a real beach. Lake Michigan, sure, but even that doesn’t seem to hold the same romantic secrets as the ocean does right now. The waves thud on the sand, back and forth and back and forth. It’s oddly comforting, like someone is reading me a Nancy Drew mystery to help me sleep, until I suddenly see something standing out on the sand, deposited by the last wave. It’s small, sleek, and barely stands out amongst the waves.  
It’s a glass bottle. With, upon closer inspection, a message inside.


	3. Lost and Found

Hyde  
Day 3  
San Diego, California

10 AM  
“Hyde! Hyde Hyde Hyde get up!!” I open my eyes, still sore from yesterday’s drive, to Fez standing above me.  
“What?” I groan.  
“Jackie found this last night! We have to find out what it says” He shoves some kind of dirty glass bottle at me with a piece of paper inside it, curled in half like it never wants to come out.  
“Fez, man, can’t this wait until after breakfast?”.  
“Fine. But Jackie says to tell you you’re making deviled eggs for all of us”. He leaves the bedroom sulking as Jackie walks in.  
“Hey Jackie, you got up early” She sits down next to me on the bed for a quick morning peck.  
“Oh, I was too excited to sleep” she replies, grinning. Her face falls a bit as she notices the bottle next to me. “Aw, you know!”  
“Yeah, Fez woke me up to this lovely message. I’m just splitting my hairs waiting to find out what it says”. I roll my eyes.  
“Steven. I know you’ll be more curious once you make us all breakfast”. She grins.  
“You’re pretty lucky to be dating a chef, you know”. To my happiness, she doesn’t make a Jackie-style comment about my mediocre salary, so I drag myself out of bed a little faster.

11 AM  
“Well, here’s to our wasted youth” Forman says over breakfast. We hold up our orange juices. “I guess there was a message in a bottle for us to take a look at?”. Jackie’s face lights up. “Right here!”. She spreads it out on the table for all of us to see. 

Valerie’s San Diego List  
Summer 1975  
1\. Get from point A to point B  
2\. Have a night to forget  
3\. Swim out to a new place  
4\. Go parasailing  
5\. Get incredibly lucky (done)  
6\. Have a bonfire on the beach  
7\. Find the key  
8\. “I love you” 

Looks really interesting and all, but I’m already over this Valerie person’s bucket list from four years ago. My friends naturally don’t seem to feel the same way at all. Donna even seems to get a bit choked up for some reason, and Forman pats her on the back. Right. Valerie’s her sister’s name, the one who mysteriously ran away from home a couple years ago. All we know is that she's in Southern California.  
“Oh, Donna, the list really is moving but I’m sure Valerie left it for us” Fez says. “Right” he adds awkwardly, picking up on our expressions. Jackie gives her a quick squeeze.  
Forman speaks. “Donna, I’m sure she’s doing fine. Besides, there’s no way it’s her, right? I mean, it’s a common name!”.  
She glares at him. “Watch it, you dillhole!”  
I snicker at Forman. “Look, Donna, whoever she is, we can’t let Valerie win. I say we destroy the list immediately”.  
“No!” Jackie and Forman exclaim. Donna looks down indifferently. “Do what you want, Hyde”.  
Well, now what? “Man, I’m with Hyde. This list kind of gives me the creeps” Kelso agrees, shuddering. Fez’s expression changes and he nods.  
“Well, that’s it. Fez, Kelso, let’s go”. Forman and Jackie glare at me, surprisingly in agreement, and I don’t know how we’re gonna make peace with this. “C’mon, we don’t need some dumb bucket list to enjoy the trip”.  
“Well...I guess” Forman says. “You coming?” I ask him.  
He groans, but gets up to join us. Jackie’s expression doesn’t change, and I have to remind myself that she’s really in the minority now in wanting to keep the list. Guess I’ll have to make it up to her later, I think, ignoring the slight pit in my stomach.

12 PM  
“Hey, Hyde!” Kelso shouts from next to me in the water. When I turn, he flings a fat green string of seaweed at me. It hits me like a wet noodle, messing up my strained breathing. We’ve been swimming away from the beach for a while now, and surprisingly the only one who’s handling it like a man other than me is Fez. Should’ve known from Lake Michigan last year, that kid can swim.  
“Kelso, for the last time, cut that out! We’re never gonna make it out any further”  
“Yeah man, this is getting scary” Forman agrees from next to me, barely avoiding a huge wave. “I think we’re gonna get carried away before the bottle does”.  
I groan. “Will you guys quit acting like such babies? When will we be back at this kind of place?”  
Fez gasps from ahead. “Hey, guys! The tide is going out”.  
“Fez, you’re not even from here. How do you know?” Kelso asks.  
“Unlike you landlocked idiots, I live near the beach in my country. When a sandbar like that forms, it means the tide is coming out”.  
I peer into the distance skeptically. It does look like a sandbar is forming.  
“Well, why don’t we bury it there?” Forman asks.  
“Fine by me”.  
But when we reach the sandbar, definitely not struggling to pull ourselves up from the water (man, I need to cut back on the circle time a bit), Fez has a different request.  
“When will it be Fez’s turn? It is just never my turn. Fez and Caroline, Fez and Nina, married Fez with a wife on vacation without me...might as well be Fez and no one. What’s next, Fez and the sand?”.  
Ugh. He better find a chick here cause I can’t stand hearing stuff like this any longer. “Fez, man, beach chicks are a whole different breed. You’ll find one in no time”. He nods, giving me an overly grateful look.  
“In the meantime, you wanna try out Fez and the sand? Cause I could bury ya” I tease, not wanting to be too nice.  
Predictably, Kelso actually takes me up on my offer. “Man, that sounds great!”  
I shrug. “If you say so”.  
Putting the bottle down on the sandbar, Forman, Fez and I begin to bury Kelso, packing the sand around his legs, up his stomach, and toward his arms. It’s actually pretty funny, a Kelso head detached from the rest of his body. But suddenly, Fez begins to glare at us. “You’re going to hurt him, you sons of bitches!”.  
“Fez, we’re not doing his face” Forman reassures, but he doesn’t listen, jumping on top of Kelso’s legs to displace most of the sand. If I didn’t know better, I would think those two are hot for each other, but before we can say anything we notice the bottle rolling off.  
Forman runs to chase after it, not coming back for a solid minute. When he finally rushes back, stumbling, he holds both the bottle and a tiny silver key.  
“Found this on the way”.  
Fez’s face lights up. “The list said to find the key! We have to keep it!”  
I roll my eyes. ”C’mon man, that’s bullcrap. Let me take a look at that”. I grab the key from Forman, inspecting the fine print on it. Parker’s Spirits is spelled out in tiny letters etched into the silver. Free booze. Was I ever wrong. “Never mind, this list rocks. I think we’re in for a treat”. My face lights up as I pass the key around, but I notice Forman chooses not to say anything. 

After an exhausting swim back, we go back to the beach to find a map and the girls. Jackie and Donna lie stretched out on plush towels, their bodies faced carelessly toward the sun, and my heart sinks when Jackie refuses to acknowledge me as we get close.  
“Hey, Jackie, I changed my mind. We kept the list” I hold up the bottle like a peace offering.  
She groans coolly. “Wow, you came to your senses”.  
“C’mon, maybe I’ll even do a thing or two if you stop ignoring me like that” I grumble, hoping she won’t assume I’m talking about the last thing on the list cause I’m not just gonna say it to say it.  
“Fine” she pouts, and I pull her onto my lap on the beach chair triumphantly, stroking back her hair as she sits down. I can’t stand giving cheesy compliments unless the moment is right which is essentially never, but for some reason I don’t mind PDA at all, at least where Jackie is concerned. Somehow it just feels right.  
“So we already accomplished an item off the list” I tell Jackie and Donna. “Found a key to a bar so looks like tonight is gonna be pretty sweet if we can get some alcohol. You guys still got the map, right? Hopefully we can find it on there”. I nod at them happily, but Forman glares at me for some reason.  
I give him a weird look, but he gestures at me so urgently I pull myself up, reluctantly helping Jackie out and back down first, and follow him a bit down the beach.  
“Hyde, Midge’s last name was Parker before she married Bob!”  
“So?” I ask, groaning.  
“I don’t know if this has anything to do with Valerie but it’s an awful lot of coincidences! Donna’s gonna flip!”  
“Look, man, you’re not getting me to be a law abiding citizen just on the off chance your little girlfriend’s gonna get all upset over a common last name”.  
“Come on Hyde, Midge and Valerie are both here in California. Just don’t let her see the key, alright? I’ll stay here with her. You take the other three”.  
“If you say so”. I slip the key deep into my jeans pocket.

4 PM  
I park the Vista Cruiser in front of a decrepit building off by itself, white paint peeling off the sides. Palm trees line the dry lawn like its personal bodyguards. Perfect. No employees to deal with. Run down, abandoned and boozy. Just what I’m used to.  
Fez shivers. “I don’t like this”.  
The key gives in with a small squeak. Inside, dusty chairs lie at random beyond the counter, which is dark red and covered with broken liquor bottles. It’s a bit of an unsettling scene, even to me. But behind the counter is a jackpot of alcohol, tequila and Jack Daniels and beer. We begin transporting as much as possible out to the car, one by one. Naturally, Jackie doesn’t want to get near the dirty mess, but I convince her to help, bribing her with the promise of seeing some dumb movie called  
Summer Camp later in the week. Figured it’s worth it, as long as we can find a drive in around here. Thirty minutes, the trunk is loaded up with alcohol, Donna has no idea, and we’re all ready for tonight. Jackie and I walk out holding hands triumphantly, Fez following eagerly behind us. But as we leave, the wind picks up, like a storm is coming. 

1 AM  
“Jackie, you’re the best girlfriend ever” I slur, peering at her through my blurry vision as The Clash blares behind us over the screams of countless people as wasted as me, the waves crashing in the distance. With as much booze as us, it wasn’t hard to find people that wanted to party tonight, and I think even Fez got lucky. She giggles from my lap, and I keep going.  
“I mean it. I may not say it, but you know...I’d-I chug the rest of my beer, long having lost count-do anything for you”  
She shrieks happily, giving me a weird look, and it only eggs me on. Man, right now I’m gonna act all cheesy just cause I can, goddammit. Who cares that I wouldn’t be caught dead doing this any other time.  
“How did I get so lucky that you dumped Kelso? I mean, you’re so beautiful-”  
“Oh Steven, who would have ever thought a few cheap beers would make you speak so romantically” she says, smiling at me, her pretty green eyes huge and her boobs huger from beneath her dress. She’s a little tipsy, but not enough to not give me a hard time for the rest of eternity about the time I got so shitfaced I started acting like Forman. What can I do, she’s hot.  
“Shut up, I’m not just messing around”  
“Okay, Mr. You’re So Beautiful” she retorts, pecking me on the chin and running her hands up and down, from my chest to my empty pockets. Fuck it, I love her, and for once, I don’t care who knows it. I might as well tell her. Once.  
“Jackie. I love-”  
But I never get to finish because at that second, Eric stumbles over to us on the sand away from the crowd of people dancing, looking like death from what I can make out. Jackie makes a comment to the same effect.  
He only has one thing to say.  
“Guys, I’ve checked everywhere but I can’t find Donna!”


	4. Balboa Park

Day 4

Jackie

San Diego, California

7 AM

Valerie’s San Diego List

Summer 1975

1\. Get from point A to point B

2\. Have a night to forget-DONE

3\. Swim out to a new place-DONE

4\. Go parasailing

5\. Get incredibly lucky-DONE

6\. Have a bonfire on the beach

7\. Find the key-DONE

8\. “I love you”

“Well, the devil’s up early” Eric’s voice startles me out of my sleepiness as I make my way, fluffy cashmere bathrobe and all, to the coffee machine. I give him a look. He looks like death, and that’s saying something for a guy that probably had to attach his feet to Popsicle sticks to keep from being washed down the drain in the shower.

“Why do you care?”  
“I don’t, but you should, woman! Every minute you took your beauty sleep, your best friend moved further and further away from us!”  
Oh my God. Donna’s gone. It hadn’t just been my drunk imagination. I’d been too caught up with Steven last night, and Donna’s disappearance was nothing but a hazy memory. I feel terrible. What could have happened to her? I don’t know what I’d do without her. My face changes and I look at Eric helplessly. “Eric, what are we going to do?”  
“I don’t know, but it might have been helpful if, I don’t know, maybe SOMEONE ELSE CARED”.

“Eric, I’m not a loser that plays with action figures like you. I don’t know anything about saving the day!”.

He glares at me. “But I’ll go get the others so we can go look for her” I tell him, a bit guiltily. He may be annoying, but he’s still the boyfriend of my lost best friend.

“Right now”

“Right now” I echo.

Steven’s still sleeping on the air mattress we’re sharing, stretched out now that I’m gone and his face caught in a rare moment of peacefulness. I smile thinking of how tender he was last night, drunk or not. Can’t focus on that now. But I hate to wake him.

“Steven...Steven!” I exclaim, shaking him gently. “Whaaa…”he mumbles, adding a possessive “Jackie”.

Why does he have to make this so hard? I wish I could just lie down with him. Go back to sleep. But I can’t….“Steven, I hate to wake you but Donna’s gone! We have to go find her!”

“Dammit” he mumbles like it isn’t a surprise, slowly stretching and sitting up. “Where’s Fez?”

Fez. I glance over at the bunk bed he’s sharing with Michael, but it’s empty, Michael having gone into the shower.

“Crap. Now we got another one to look for” Steven mumbles, rubbing his head. He must have a bit of a hangover, the poor baby.

Just as we make our way into the kitchen, Fez runs in excitedly.

“Guess who did it! Guess who did it! Guess who did it!”

“Not you” Steven barks.

…"I did it!”  
I sigh. “Fez, not now. Donna’s lost!”

His face falls. “Oh no! How will we ever find her here?” Eric puts his head on the table in defeat.  
At that moment Michael runs into the kitchen. “My man did it!!!!”

Hyde glares at him. “Would ya pay attention, you dillhole? None of us have seen Donna since last night!”

“Okay everyone! Let’s think. Eric, you’re quiet. Where did you last see her?” I ask.

He lifts his head slightly to shake it slowly. “She said she was gonna go inside to go to the bathroom at the party last night”

“And you never saw her again?” Fez asks.

“Nope. Went to check on her after twenty minutes, but no one knew where she was. I checked everywhere in the house, but she’s nowhere to be found” He puts his head down on the table again helplessly.

Steven shakes his head. “Man, how did this happen. Donna would’ve been the last one of you people to get lost”.

Fez looks at him intensely. “Hyde, I don’t think she’s lost. She was probably...kidnapped”.

Eric looks up to glare at him. “Fez, you’re not helping!”

“Okay, let’s think” Steven says. “Forman, man, get a grip and help us. We might as well start in the bathroom, at least in the event she really went there”

“Oooh, let’s watch Jackie and Hyde do it in the shower first!’

“Fez” I warn.

We make our way to the bathroom, Steven half dragging half helping Eric up from the table and Michael leading us.

Suddenly, he shouts, “Sweet! I found a key!” He pulls a long metallic key out of the door I don’t remember seeing before.

“Michael, how’s that gonna help?” I ask, slightly annoyed. He never seems to grow up, that one.

But Steven has a very different reaction. “No...the key!” He runs into the bedroom. Concerned, I follow him.

“Steven, what’s wrong?”

“Crap” he mumbles, rummaging through the pockets of the jeans he wore last night. “Jackie, I lost the key to the bar we got the alcohol from! Forman told me not to let Donna see, remember?!”

“Oh, Steven” I soothe, putting my arm around him on the bed. “Do you think Donna found it?”He shrugs. “I remember my pockets being empty after we were talking to Forman and Donna last night now. Of course I was too blasted to think anything of it at the time. Well, I guess it explains her running off” he shrugs angrily.  
“Well, at least it’s less likely she got one of her giant shoes stuck in a ditch somewhere” I reply, shuddering.

“Man, what am I gonna tell Forman? He’ll murder me with all the rage he’s built up from never being able to fight back!”

“Hey. You might have solved the mystery” I reassure, pulling his chin up to match mine. “Come on baby, let’s go look at the bar!”

9 AM

Thankfully, we forgot to lock the door to the old bar yesterday. Eric drives us all back there, Fez and Michael in front and Steven and I sneaking kisses in the back. We’re worried about Donna and all, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun. The bar seems more threatening today, as the rush of excitement I felt when we walked in yesterday is replaced by fear. A squirrel darts behind the row of palm trees as we approach, the wind blowing loudly in the background. The door creaks as we open it, soundtracking my fear. I hide behind Steven, but even his ugly Led Zeppelin shirt doesn’t quite make me feel better. We spend the next few hours intensely searching every corner of the property, digging through crates of beer, behind old trashy couches, inside what was once the staff bathrooms. But there’s nothing-not even a clue of my favorite mannish redhead.This is turning out to be the worst trip ever.

11 AM

“Jackie! Jackie!” Fez yells from next to me in the back closet we’ve been searching for the past few minutes. By this point, I'm not sure if I've done this much manual labor in my life.

“What?”

“I think I found a clue!” He’s holding an old Ted Nugent record, the seam ripping at the edges. Donna’s favorite. Wordlessly, he opens it. Inside there are three old Polaroid pictures: one of what appears to be a car show with palm trees and a castle-like building flanking the background, one of a blonde woman holding a baby with a hideous tuft of auburn hair on the beach, and one a closeup of a beach house. Wait. I recognize that hair in the second photo….

Oh my god. It’s young Midge. Holding a baby that looks suspiciously like Donna. Fez stares at me wordlessly, clearly realizing the same thing. Suddenly all her worries about this trip make sense.

“Fez! Holy shit she went to find Midge!”  
He stares at me suspiciously. “Are you sure?”  
“Who else likes that record as much as Donna? Midge is in the photo. And I bet the last photo is of her house! Oh, I’m a genius!” I exclaim proudly.

“My sweet Jackie, you are! Let’s go tell the others!”

12 PM

Our sudden lead is short lived, and we’ve ended up as we always do when we run out of good ideas: in the circle. Today we sit on boxes in the bar, mine pulled up in front of Steven’s, his legs wrapped protectively around my shoulders as the clouds of our smoke surround us, an extra layer of protection.

“Guys! I got it! Let’s throw another huge party, put ads up all over the city. Donna’ll show up, and then it’s a win win: hot beach girls AND we got Donna back! Man, maybe Annette will even show up!”  
Hyde punches Kelso in the arm. “I’m not one to stop a party, but why would she show up if she ran away from us, you moron?”  
“Ow! Damn, Hyde!”  
Eric sighs from next to him, the pot causing him to stare wistfully into the distance. “I just...never thought she’d do this to me. What could have possibly gone wrong? We were doing so well! Just about to move in together and stuff! Even I don’t usually screw things up this bad!”

I laugh bitterly. “Eric, you must have done something pretty bad this time, even for you”

“Shut up, woman! Why are you so sure it was Donna that put those pictures here? For all we know she could be kidnapped!”  
I glare at him, the joint not enough to contain my anger. “Eric, it’s the only clue we have!”

Steven speaks up. “Okay...okay! What is happening to us? This pot is defunct!”

“Alright, enough sitting around. Let’s go find the one person who would know how to handle this” Eric stands up.

“Damn, Forman, didn’t know you had it in you”

“Even I can’t be twitchy when the love of my life is gone, Hyde. Fez, Kelso, why don’t you ask around, figure out where that house could be. Hyde and Jackie, do the same with the car show. I-he looks at the picture glumly-will figure out where that beach could be and who’s in that photo”

“Eric, don’t be silly. Even I know that’ll be like looking for a needle in a haystack” Michael taunts.

“What else are we going to do? We don’t even know if that’s her or her sister in the picture! Come on, let’s go!”

3 PM

Back at the house, Steven strokes my hair behind my ear. “I can’t believe Forman finally got a grip of himself and told us what to do”

“Me too. I assumed he’d just lock himself in his room with his Star Wars battlefields like he did last summer”

He smirks. “I guess that paid off in way”

I pull him into a kiss, experimenting with his lips and letting my tongue work its way inside, his arms twisting around my graceful little neck. He starts to lift my shirt up and up, his fingers working his hands up and up my back and I missed this so much but-

“Steven. We have to figure out where this car show is”

He groans. “I wish you were wrong”.

“Steven?”  
“Yeah?” 

“Would you mope around like Eric if I was lost?”  
“Nah. I’d go out and handle it like a man”

I grin. “That’s my pudding pop”.

Again, our lips move closer until we get a hold of ourselves.

But then my eyes catch on a cluster of palm trees on the map, oddly similar to the photo. The text below spells out BALBOA PARK. I’ve heard of this place. My cousin went to a wedding there, which she said was the most romantic of her life.

“Steven! I think it’s there!”

4 PM

The sun tilts through the palm trees, a huge rectangular pool parked in front of a huge castle, turrets and towers connected with arches. Fat rosebushes line the pathways around the pool. Ironic how the place we go to look for our missing best friend is like a dream. But I have a good feeling about this place, a feeling that the castle is the same one in the photo.

“Oh, Steven. Savannah was right. This really is the most romantic place ever. She said it was only the best wedding she’d been to since she’s been to cotillions and soirees, but-”  
“Jackie!”  
“Sorry” I say, giggling a little.

“God, this place is huge. How are we gonna find someone to ask about the car show?”

I shrug. “Well, I hear voices down there. That path seems to go to the main area” I reply, gesturing to the castle.

We make our way toward the castle hand in hand. With Steven by my side, I feel like it will be alright. That Donna really did just want to see her mom and conveniently forgot to tell us. That she’ll come back soon and there can be no wrong. He squeezes my hand, smiling at me as live music tinkles in the distance, the afternoon sun caressing us gently.

Suddenly he stops in his tracks pointing to a sign posted to the pole in front of us, below a beautiful poster of Farrah Fawcett:

THE ANNUAL BALBOA PARK CAR SHOW, it reads. And then at the bottom, Thursday, June 29, 1979, 10 am-5 pm.

“Steven! That’s tomorrow! This has gotta be what Donna’s picture was of!”  
He nods. “Sweet. We'll go tomorrow. Didn’t even have to talk to anyone”

‘Should we go find the others?”  
“Eh, Forman’ll be out till night trying to find that beach. I think we’ve done everything we can. Why don’t we go find the source of that music, Jackie?” he asks, gesturing to the loud rock n’roll in the background.

“My ears will probably bleed, but what can I say, the heart wants what it wants” I reply affirmatively, and he takes my hand, moving with a speed he rarely seems to be capable of.

After sneaking into the back of what turns out to be an outdoor concert, we spend the rest of the afternoon dancing to Stones covers that could only sound good in my ears with Steven’s arms wrapped around me, kissing away our worries with no one there to see. As wimpy as Eric is, I feel so bad for him. I don’t know what I’d do if it was Steven that was lost. With him by my side, I feel complete.


	5. El Camino

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's taken so long to update! I went back to college so I haven't had as much time to write as I did in the summer but I definitely haven't abandoned this story and I'll try to post the next chapter more quickly. As of now, this story will probably have 11 chapters which means it's almost half done. Still a ways to go but I'm honestly surprised I've made it this far since it's definitely more ambitious than anything else I've wrote. To anyone still reading this, thank you!  
> Note: the beginning of this chapter has a lot of smut, so if you don't want that you can go right to the "10 AM" section.

Day 5  
Hyde  
San Diego, California

Valerie’s San Diego List  
Summer 1975  
Get from point A to point B  
Have a night to forget  
Swim out to a new place  
Go parasailing  
Get incredibly lucky  
Have a bonfire on the beach  
Find the key  
“I love you” 

3 AM

I’m awakened by a sharp prodding in my lower back that won’t relent. What the hell? They finally caught up with me out here?  
“Steven”  
Thank god. “What” I snap.  
“Are you asleep?”  
“Yes!” I cover my ears with the pillow we’re sharing.  
“What about now?” She quietly pulls the pillow from under me to reveal her bare boobs. My dick springs to life on cue. I swear, this fucking chick will be the death of me.  
“Jackie, c’mere”.  
She shakes her head coyly, moving her head down and down under the covers. Finally she meets my dick knowing without having to check it’s ready for her, drawing figure eights on it with her tongue rhythmically. I struggle not to groan as every cell of my body begins to scream for her, fearing Fez will finally get just the freak display he’s always hoped for.  
Sneaking my head under the covers, I meet her eyes. They’re explosive with lust, and I feel the firecrackers in the air between us. I pull her playfully up to me, our tongues slamming together as we rapidly pull down each others’ pajama bottoms. I keep my hand on her entrance as I roll on top of her, pressing down on the spot I know she likes most and snickering at how quickly it is soaked.  
“Mmmm...Steven!”  
“Quit it, you’re gonna wake the Terrible Twins over there!” I gesture at Kelso and Fez.  
She shrugs. “So what”  
I don’t know what she’s on, but it only turns me on more, making it practically impossible not to finish right there. I thrust into her effortlessly, praising the fact she’s back on the pill and we slip into our usual rhythm, her pussy squeezing around me like a warm glove on a cold night. Her legs begin to tighten as we laugh under our breath, trying horribly to conceal our moans.  
From below me, beads of sweat line her hairline, glistening in the dim light. If I were to point it out to her I’d probably get thrown off the bed, boner and all, but secretly there’s something freaking hot about it. I snicker to myself as my horniness builds, full of knowledge I’ll never tell her.  
Finally she expands and contracts more intensely, whispering Stevens and babies and pudding pops under her breath, and she crashes into me as I release into her, filling her up nicely as our bodies sink with relief.  
Sex with Jackie is wrong but it just feels so right, and there’s no way to even describe it. Man, I missed this. 

10 AM

I thought I’d been to car shows before, but this one makes all of the Wisconsin ones look like black and white TV. Arrays of cars in all different shapes and sizes line the area below the castle, the castle looming in the background against the blue sky and palm trees. A huge banner flies across the sky, reading 26th ANNUAL BALBOA PARK CAR SHOW across one side. The other side, for absolutely no reason I can think of, reads POINT A. Well, this is it. Guess I’ve finally found where I belong.  
And then, I spot it: an El Camino. Better wheels than mine, looks new and shiny as hell. I quickly make my way up to it, taking advantage of the fact everyone else seems to be occupied.  
The owner has a fro like mine paired with a long beard, his sleeves rolled up and a torn Grateful Dead shirt on. I’ve found myself in twenty years.  
“Hey, kid” he mutters as I shuffle over to him, thankful for my sunglasses which conceal my overexcitement at finding the better version of my car. “She’s a good ride, huh?. ‘79 El Camino. New model.”  
I laugh as I inspect the car, bending down to catch a glimpse of the suspension. “Sweet. I actually have one at home”  
“Hmm”  
“Yeah, 1967 Camino. All black. My boss gave it to me”.  
He laughs. “Sounds like you lucked out with your boss, man. My boss used to sneak up behind us and clap symbols together behind us if we took a long break”  
“He fight in the war?” I ask. Sounds like something Red would do, if he had any musical talent.  
“Course. Thought he was still fighting”.  
“I hear ya”.  
“So, what brings you here anyway?”  
Damn, not looking to share my life story. “Uhh...just drove down here from Wisconsin with a few friends. Post graduation trip, you know?  
He laughs. “Yeah, gotta take advantage of these days, kid. Before you know it, you’ll be an old geezer like me”.  
“Nah man, I’d take being an old geezer for a ride like that”  
He shakes his head slowly. “That’s what you think”. 

1 PM

“Man, this place is like live porno” I observe to Forman, gazing at the vast array of Camaros and Corvettes surrounding us, tricked out to the max. “Am I the only one who cares about finding Donna? You guys have just been checking out cars and having fun since we got here!” he asks, exasperated. Kelso’s ran off to get his picture taken with some busty chicks, and Jackie is busy behind us instructing Fez on how to carry the powder she puts on her face or some crap. I don’t get why she has to bring that stuff here, but I guess it does make her pretty freakin hot.  
I groan. “Forman, legend has it that the only guys who show no interest in Californian car shows are the ones who played Barbies as a kid”.  
“Dammit Hyde, they were GI Joes! Look, I’m just worried about my girlfriend, okay?” He swallows. “I may never understand you guys but how would you feel if Jackie was the one who was gone, huh?”  
“Simple. Some of us can hang out with our girlfriends for an hour without them running away”  
“Hyde-”  
“Helps if you don’t play with Barbies” I pat him on the arm mockingly, but my goddamn conscience stops me from ditching him, maybe recruiting Jackie to help me look for a new engine for the Camino. “Look, Forman, we all wanna find Donna but where the hell are we supposed to start?” At that moment, a familiar smell wafts up to my nose from the side of the building behind us.  
“That’s it”

2 PM

We sit on the dirt above the check in tent, observing the show from above. Next to me, Jackie takes a long hit of the joint we’ve just traded for, her eyes almost as flushed as her cheeks. “Steven, do you know how lucky you are to have me? You might have gone the whole vacation dry”.  
“No idea, darling” I reply with an exasperated smile, slinging my arm around her shoulders and subtly feeling the smoothness of her backside. Heh.  
She sighs, her perfect face scrunching up. “Steven, I’m serious! What would you have done if you didn’t have the three newest models of styling wands to give to that guy for his stash, huh?”  
I shrug. “Take it and run?”  
“Steven-”  
I gesture for the joint, letting it out slowly. It warms my body, a devil’s advocate to be honest.  
“Alright, thanks”  
“For-”  
I roll my eyes. “For giving up a month’s worth of good hair”  
She squeals. “Aw, I knew you’d understand!”  
I can’t resist pulling her onto my lap-chick power, man-and Fez glares at us from across the circle.  
But it’s looking at Forman that makes me feel guilty.  
“Well, we came here for a reason”  
“To get Fez a car to impress all the beachy ladies?”  
“Look, anyone see anything that could resemble someone remotely like Midge?”  
Kelso laughs. “Aw, tons. Man, this place is great!”  
“MICHAEL” Jackie warns from my lap.  
“Aw shut up, you sissies!” Kelso starts. “Deadass I think I saw young Midge. Same rack, perm but more auburn, less wrinkles!”  
This sparks my and Fez’s interests. “Where?” Jackie glares at me.  
“Eric, you’re quiet” Kelso says.  
“Yeah. I think you saw Valerie”.  
“What! Where is she?” Jackie asks Kelso.  
“Saw her down there by the fat dude showing off his old Impala. Hit on her a bit, but she mumbled something about having to take pictures of the event and ran off before I could really work my magic” He looks down, dejected.  
“We gotta ask the guy if he knows anything about where she went!” He gets up and begins rushing toward the hill to go down without waiting for the rest of us.  
“Forman, chill. Half the joint is left” I groan.  
“Not now, Hyde!” he shouts from up ahead.  
“Well, alright. Let’s follow the little star-crossed lover up ahead”  
“Damn! I knew I chose the wrong day to wear my new kitten heels!” Jackie complains as I help her up.  
By the time we get down the hill, Forman is already talking to the guy. Unfortunately, he seems to have gotten himself in deep as the guy is in the middle of a monologue about his car’s chassis. He looks at us helplessly.  
Shockingly, it’s Fez who cuts him off. “Excuse me good sir, did you see a beautiful woman with red hair and boobs the size of your wheels?”  
He snickers, sizing us up. “Why do you kids need to know?”  
Jackie shoves Fez aside. “Look, you relic, I’ve had a long and hard day with all these idiots forcing me to look at dirty machines for fun. She’s my friend. So-she giggles flirtatiously-why don’t you tell us where she went?”  
He sighs, looking her up and down and I feel my hands tighten protectively around her on cue. I snicker, a sudden memory of the time I saw her sliding out from under Red’s car, covered from head to toe in grease and not seeming the slightest bit upset. Years have gone by, and I begrudgingly realize that she intrigued me then and she’s intriguing me now. God, with this sentimentality what’s next, Jackie convincing me to make a scrapbook of us? Gotta focus.  
“Alright. If you must know, Valerie’s friend said something about going to Flat Rock beach” He drops his voice. “But if you kids try anything, I said nothing”.  
Forman glares at him. “How dare you say that! She’s my-”  
I drag him back. “Alright man, relax. She’s a friend of ours, okay?”  
“Ah yes, new beach and beautiful ladies, this is a win win for Fez!’ he observes as we make our way toward the exit. ‘“But aiii...I need to go to the bathroom”  
Jackie nods. “Me too”.  
“Taking pictures at the event! How dare she lie to a face like this!” Kelso whines, trailing behind Fez and Jackie.  
Turns out everyone has to go to the bathroom except for me, and I end up waiting by the exit, under the arch that says Point A. I’m lost in thought, thinking of the guy with the Camino and his strange sentimentality when a female voice fills my ears.  
“All alone? You’re too sexy to be moping around by the exit” Jesus. I look up at her, and of course she’s my usual type in every way. Kinda busty, blonde, leather jacket. Collarbone tattoo. To put it straight, the complete opposite of Jackie. Would be a great lay, I’m sure.  
“Hey” I mutter. “Just waiting for a few of my friends” I add vaguely. Fuck. Gotta get ahold of myself. Not about to mess things up with Jackie again, as tempting as it is.  
She laughs, not a cute feminine sound like Jackie but a rich, hearty sound that’s equally sexy.  
“I’m sure they won’t notice if you slip away for a few minutes” She slings her arm around my back.  
Alright. I’m not Fez or Kelso, I think as I move a few steps away from her as much as my body protests, not having the heart to move her arm yet. “Oh, wouldn’t I love to. But I’m here with my girlfriend, alright?”  
And then my world feel like it ended when I see a familiar little beautiful brunette behind us, probably having witnessed the whole thing.  
“Steven! How DARE you use the word love with that skank!”  
I sigh, a mixture of guilt and annoyance (she couldn’t see that I’d turned her down?) suddenly flooding me all over. “Jackie-”  
But before I can add anything else, she’s marched off through the exit.


End file.
